The Panhellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association participated in the 2nd Conference “Modern Intensive Care and Transplantation”, which took place from 27 to 29 March 2026 at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation, organized by the 2nd University Intensive Care Clinic of the Attikon General Hospital, Aghia Varvara General Hospital.
The conference was attended by the President Anna Spinou and the Vice President of the Association, Konstantina Giannaki, reinforcing the presence and contribution of the Association in the dialogue on transplant care.
On Sunday 29 March, the President of the Association, Anna Spinou, participated as a moderator in the thematic section of the conference entitled “The experience of lung transplantation “, contributing to the scientific dialogue around the patients’ journey and the current challenges before and after lung transplantation. The session was also moderated by Ioanna Alysandratou, President of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, while the speakers were transplant patient Chrysa Demetriadou and patient Pythagoras Kosmidis.
During the session, the experience of patients after lung transplantation was highlighted in a very moving way, while the discussion also highlighted the importance of patient compliance and close cooperation with the treating physicians as decisive factors for the successful outcome of the transplantation.
During her presentation as moderator, Anna Spinou stressed that for patients with Cystic Fibrosis, but also for any serious respiratory disease, lung transplantation is the only life-saving solution and a second chance for life. At the same time, he stressed that patients’ experiences are useful data that can be used to formulate health policies and improve care services. He said that in a modern patient-centred health system, the patient, apart from being a recipient of care, is also an active interlocutor and partner in the continuous improvement of the system.
At the same time, he stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between patient representatives, health professionals and the State, as well as the importance of the effective participation of all patient associations from each respiratory disease leading to lung transplantation, in order to adequately reflect the different needs and challenges of each patient group.
The conference brought together distinguished healthcare professionals from Greece and abroad and covered a wide range of topics from modern developments in intensive care and management of critically ill patients to newer approaches in organ donation and transplantation.
Of great interest was the session where significant developments in organ donation after circulatory death were presented , with reference to successful international examples, such as that of Spain, highlighting a significant potential for increasing the availability of lung transplants and enhancing lung transplantation in Greece.
Particular reference was made to the role of the European Reference Network for Rare Respiratory Diseases ERN-LUNG, highlighting the importance of linking clinical care, research and active patient participation at European level. In this context, the President of the Association, Anna Spinou, participates as a patient representative (ePAG) in ERN-LUNG, strengthening the voice of patients and the interconnection of the Greek reality with European developments.
The participation of the Panhellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association in the Congress is part of its ongoing effort to strengthen the voice of patients and promote patient-centered care. At the same time, it is linked to the Association’s long-standing contribution to the field of lung transplantation, from its contribution to the signing of a cooperation agreement between Greece and the AKH transplantation centre in Vienna in 2014 to the support of the national lung transplantation programme launched in 2109 in Greece, as well as the organ donation campaign “Unlimited Breath – Be a Life Donor” for the awareness of the kidney.
The Association continues to be active through the Lung Transplant Working Group, aiming to highlight the needs of patients and formulate proposals for the development of the lung transplantation system in our country, in close cooperation with physicians, the scientific community and the State.
